Registering ballot-box



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

L. M. FOSTER.

REGISTERING BALLOT Box.

No. 530,034. Patented Nov. 27, 1894.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(NoModeL) v L. M. FOSTER. REGISTERING BALLOT BOX.

No. 530,034. Patented Nov. 27,1894.

W y wy UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUOIAN M. FOSTER, OE BOSTON, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN POOLE, OF TOPSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

REGISTERING BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,034, dated November 27, 1894.

Application filed May 7, 1894' Serial No. 510,369- (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUOIAN M. FOSTER, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Ballot-Boxes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invent-ion relating to ballot-boxes is embodied in a ballot box of the kind commonly known as a drawer box having a ballot receiver in the form of a drawer which is moved out from the case or box proper to receive a ballot and is then carried back into the box to deposit the ballot therein. The box also contains appliances for canceling the ballot as it is deposited in the box and a counting mechanism which is advanced for each ballot deposited and indicates at any time the total number of ballots deposited up to that time. The drawer or ballot receiver has a relatively movable ballot support or in other words the bottom of the drawer on which the ballot is laid has a slight movement with relation to the remainder of the drawer and it is provided with recesses over which the ballot lies so that the recesses are covered by the ballot when present in the drawer, and about to be deposited in the box, which contains a ballot feeler or detector having projections corresponding to the recesses in the drawer bottom so that when the drawer is operated without any ballot contained in it the projections of the ballot detector enter the recesses in the drawer bottom and do not change its position with relation to the remainder of the drawer, but if a ballot is present the projections of the ballot detector engage with the surface of the ballot itself which then lies over and covers the recesses in the ballot support, the result being that the engagement of the projections of the ballot detector withthe surface of the ballot causes the ballot support or drawer bottom to be moved slightly with relation to the remaihder of the drawer from the position that it would have occupied had no ballot been present. The ballot box also contains an audible signal or alarm which is sounded when the box mechanism makes a complete operation by which the ballot is deposited and the counting mechanism advanced.

In another application, Serial No. l76,066, filed May 31,1893, I have shown and described a ballot box containing appliances of V I might make a complete in and out movement when no ballot was present, but under such conditions the counting and alarm mechanism would not be operated, while if the ballot were present this mechanism would be operated; the said counting and alarm mechanism being substantially detached from and independent ofthe drawer actuating mechanism but being engaged and operated by the drawer bottom when in one position in the inward movement of the drawer, and not being engaged when the drawer bottom remained in its other position in the in and out movement of the drawer.

In the present invention, the movable drawer bottom co-operates with astop which prevents it from completing its movement into the box when no ballot is present, but when the ballot is present the drawer bottom is moved to such position as not to be engaged by the stop, which it then passes, freely permitting the complete movement of the drawer by which the ballot is deposited. The counting and alarm mechanism is positively connected with the drawer actuating mechanism, which when no ballot is present is stopped before it has made a sufficient movement to actuate or affect in any way the counting and alarm mechanism.

Figure l is a plan view of a ballot box embodying this invention, the cover or top of too the box being raised to show the working parts which are contained in the upper part of the box. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on line 00 Fig. 1, illustrating the engagement of the ballotfeeler or detector with the ballot, and the consequent operation of the ballot support or drawer bottom, to disengage the drawer stop. Fig. 3 isa sectional detail on line :0 illustrating the operation when no ballot is present and the drawer or ballot carrier is consequently stopped before it completes its inward movement into the box and before the counting and alarm mechanism of the box has been operated. Fig. 4c is an enlarged sectional elevation showing the counting mechanism in end view, and Fig. 5 a detail showing aportion of the counting mechanism in plan view.

The operating mechanism is mainlyiu the upper part A of the box, which is provided with a hinged cover A that can be raised to afford access to the working parts as shown in Fig. 1. The mechanism is supported upon a horizontal partition A which forms the top of the main receptacle A (a portion only of which is shown in Fig. 8) in which the ballots are deposited.

The drawer or ballot receiver works in the upper part of the receptacle A just below the partition A as best shown in Fig. 3, and there is a small cover A at the front of the box which hangs down below the level of the drawer as shown in Fig. 3, when the box isin operation but which maybe turned up against and locked to the front end of the cover A when the box is not in use.

The cover A is locked independently and is only opened when it is necessary to have access to the mechanism of the box for repairs, or to set the counting mechanism to the zero or starting point preparatory to receiving the ballots on any given occasion.

The ballot receiver is in the form of a drawer composed of a front piece a and two side strips or guiding portions a connected therewith and arranged to work in suitable guides below the partition A and between the side guiding portions 0. is supported the ballot support a which is hinged at a see Fig. 3, to the front portion a of the drawer and is acted upon by a spring a which tends to keep the said ballot support a up on alevel with the side portions a of the drawer. This 'entire device called the ballot receiver is therefore composed of the front a, side pieces a a constituting a frame which has a sliding movement in the box like an ordinary cabinet drawer, and the ballot support a which is a shallow box, contained in said frame, and constituting practically the bottom of the drawer, it differing from an ordinary drawer in that it has a slight vertical movement in the sliding frame or portion of the drawer that has only the usual sliding movement of an ordinary drawer. The said ballot support a is in the form of a shallow box having a bottom; a front that lies just within the front a of the sliding portion; and sides a see Fig. 2, which lie just within the sides a of the sliding portion of the drawer, and a rear piece a that is hinged to the rear edge of the drawer bottom or ballot support as shown in Fig. 3, and which may be operated as shown and describediu my former application referred to, the specific devices for operating the same not being shown in the drawings of the present application, as they form no part of the present invention. The drawer bottom or ballot support proper is provided with recesses a as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, for the purpose of enabling the operation of the box to be controlled by the ballot, which when present in the drawer as indicated at B, Fig. 2,bridges over or covers the said recesses a as there shown. 1

The sliding drawer frame a, a is advanced and retracted by mechanism connected with a shaft 1) working in bearings b on the partition A and provided with a crank or handle 5 outside the box by which the saidshaft is rotated, the mechanism being such that a single complete rotation of the shaft advances the drawer fully out from the box to receive a ballot, and then returns the drawer into the box and cancels and deposits the ballot and operates the alarm and counting mechanisms.

Before describing the specific connecting mechanism between the shaft 1) and the drawer it may be stated that the said shaft 1) carries the ballot feeler or detector which is in the form of disks 1), b the peripheries of which are so arranged with relation to the drawer bottom or ballot support as to present projecting portions b I), as best shown in Fig. 2, in position to register with and enter the recesses a in the drawer bottom if no ballot is present. If, however, the ballot is present as shown at B, Fig. 2, the projections b b engage with the surface of the ballot itself where it extends over the recesses a and thus cause the ballot and the support or drawer bottom on which it rests to be depressed slightly as will be seen in Fig. 2, it being understood that if the ballot B were not present the drawer bottom would be at a higher level and the projections b b would extend into and substantially to the bottom of the recesses a These devices that operate upon the surface of the ballot if present may also be properly constructed to print upon it or cancel it and as shown in this instance the disks b are properly formed to act as a canceling device having suitable dies or type on their peripheries arranged to be inked by ink rolls I). The slight up and down movement of the rear end of the drawer bottom or ballot carrier on the hinge a depend ent upon whether or not a ballot is present to cover the recesses a in the drawer bottom, is availed of to control the operation of the actuating mechanism as follows:

A stop projection c is securely fastenedto to the side of the box in such position as to be in the path of the side portion a of the movable ballot support if not depressed, thus positively arresting inward movement of the drawer as best shown in Fig. 3, some time before the drawer has completed its inward movement by which the ballot is deposited. Such positive stopping of the drawer of course arrests the mechanism connecting it with the crank shaft 6 and thus prevents said shaft from making its complete rotation. 1f, however, the ballot is present, as shown in Fig. 2, the depression of the bottom of the drawer by the projections 6 b engaging with the upper surface of the ballot is sufficient to cause the end of the portion a of the ballot support to pass below the stop projection c as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that the inward movement of the drawer is not arrested.

The connecting mechanism between the shaft 17 and the drawer slide is properly constructed to give equal movement to both sides of the drawer so as to prevent possibility of its bindingin the guides. This connecting mechanism between the actuating shaft and drawer comprises a disk or wrist plate d fixed upon the main shaft bin definite position with relation to the disks b 29 said disk at having a wrist pin connected by a link 01 with a slide d working in suitable guides 01 and connected by a short link (i with one arm of a lever e, fulcrumed at e and having its other arm connected by a link 6 with one of the side strips a of the sliding frame of the drawer. The said lever e also has fixed to it a toothed sector 6 engaging with 'a toothed sector 6 pivoted at e and connected with an arm e which is connected by a link a with side strip a at the other side of the drawer. The fulcrums or pivots on which the arms e, e turn at 6 6 respectively, are

symmetrically located and the sectors 6 6 are equal so that the movements of the ends of the arms 6, 6 connected by links 6 6 with the two sides of the drawer are equal, thus giving the drawer a smooth, uniform movement,in and out, as the wrist plate 61 is rotated by the crank shaft 1), rotation of said disk in the direction of the arrow Fig. 3, tending to move the drawerinvvard from the position there shown, and in the opposite direction tending to move it outward.

In order to relieve the connecting mechanism just described between the main shaft and the drawer, from strain when the drawer is ariested by the stop 0, as before described,

the drawer bottom is provided with a projection f, see Figs. 2 and 3, and the disk d with a corresponding notch 61 so arranged that when the drawer is not depressed and consequently brings up on the stop 0 the projection f will enter the recess (1 and thus constitute a direct stop for the disk also that any further pressure applied by the operator to the shaft b will be resisted by the stopf holding the disk (1, and itself being held by the engagement of the rear end of the ballot support with the stop a so that no strain is brought upon the connecting link and lever mechanism between the shaft and drawer. The disk at is also provided with a notch or shoulder d which co-operates with a pawl or dog d pivoted on a fixed lug or bracket. The purpose of this shoulder and dog is to prevent the possibilty of a ballot being withdrawn after it has once entered far enough to be effectivelyengagedbythecancelingdevice. Itwill be seen from Fig. 3, that when no ballot is present the drawer is arrested just about when it has entered far enough to shut off communication with the interior of the drawer from the outside of the box. If a ballot had been present the drawer bottom would have been depressed just before it arrived at the position shown in Fig. 3, enough to clear it from the stop 0 as shown in Fig. 2, and the further movement of the disk (1 in the direction of the arrow would have carried the drawer wholly in until its front edge was just flush with the front edge of the cover a of the actuating mechanism. Immediately after it had moved in a trifle beyond the position shown in Fig. 3, the dog (i would fall behind the shoulder (1 and if now it should be attempted to reverse the direction of movement of the actuating shaft and disk cl to thus throw the drawer back and out again, by a backward rotation of the shaft, instead of by continuing its forward or normal rotation, such backward movement would be arrested by the dog (1 engaging the shoulder 61 just before the drawer moved far enough to uncover its interior or to afford access to the ballot therein and consequently after the ballot is once carried in far enough to be effectively engaged by the ballot feeling and canceling devices it cannot be withdrawn, and the box can be operated only by continuing the movement of the disk 01 in the direction of the arrow, which, after something less than a quarter turn. farther, Wholly closes the drawer into I the box and then begins to throw the drawer out again, in which movement the ballot detector and cancelling disks I) continue to feed the ballot inward and slip it off over the rear end of the drawer before the latter moves outward far enough to afford access to the ballot thus being fed in and deposited. In this rotation of the shaft in the forward direction indicated by the arrow Fig. 3, about when the drawer is advanced to the position shown .in Fig. 3, the notch d passes the dog d which will then prevent backward rotation of the shaft, so that the drawer can be entered a second time only by continuing the forward movement of the shaft in the direction of the arrow.

When no ballot is present the shaft 11 may be turned forward or backward within the limits determined by the stop 0 (ifit be turned forward) and by the notch dland dog d (if it be turned backward) and if it has been turned as indicated in Fig. 3, forward or in the direction of the arrow, until the drawer is arrested nearly in closed position, it will IIO have to be turned in the reverse direction to throw the drawer out so that it can receive the ballot, and then be operated by a complete turn of the shaft in the direction of the arrow. Such complete turn with theballot present will wholly retract the drawer from its extreme open position, will cancel and deposit the ballot in the box, and then advance the drawer again to receive the next ballot by the mechanism thus far described. Such complete operationwillalsoadvancethecountingmechanism one number said counting mechanism being operated in that part of the movement which takes place just after the drawer has passed the stop 0 in itsinward movement, the counting mechanism being operated by a disk 71. on the main shaft 1) said disk having its periphery formed at one point into projections or cams 7L substantially coaxial with the periphery of the disk which together with said cam projections is thus of substantially uniform diameter, said projections being however, inclined to the plane of rotation of the disk, one projecting from one side and the other from the other side of the face of the disk, the edge of which co-operates with a gear wheel 2 meshing with a gear 2' carrying a number drum i see Fig. 4, having the digits marked about its periphery as is usual in counting trains. The disk h is so placed with relation to the gear 2' as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, that the plane of rotation of the former intersects that of the latter and the periphery of said disk h projects between two of the teeth of the said gear and locks the same from rotation during the greater part of the rotary movement of said disk, and when the cam projections or Wings k on the latter arrive at the teeth of the said disk the said cam wings act substantially like a Worm of steep pitch to rotate the gear 7; an amount equal to the width of the space between the ends of the wings 72/ The cam wings 712 are of such extent around the periphery of the disk that one of the wings enters the corresponding notch or space between the teeth of the gear 1' before the other leaves the notch or space with which it has been engaged and the said gear 11 is thus at all times positively locked against rotation except such as is produced by the action of the cam wings, and there is no possibility of any skip or failure of the counting mechanism to operate in response to the rotation of the main shaft b. As shown in this instance, the ends of the wings 7L2 span three teeth of the intermediate t' and as the gear wheel 2' has thirty teeth, the action of the wings 7L2, W, in passing the periphery of the wheel 1' cause the wheel i carrying the number drum 2' to turn one tenth of a rotation and thus at each complete rotation of the shaft 1) the numberdrum representing the unit figure of the total count is advanced one figure. The wings are so set as to act upon the gearing just after the shaft passes the position represented in Fig. 3 that is, in that part of the movement of the shaft b that completely closes the drawer and delivers the ballot, and if the ballot is not present the shaft and disk It will be locked against rotation before the wings 71 arrive at the teeth of the gear 1' and the latter changes the position of the number wheels. The cam wings k are so located on the shaft 1) that they operate to turn the gear 2' in that part of the movement of the shaft 1) in the direction of the arrow Fig. 3 that takes place between the time when the notch (1 passes the dog (Z and the time when the notch d passes the dog (Z and as the shaft can make this part of its movement only when a ballot is present on the ballot support (owing to the action of the stop 0) and inasmuch as it is prevented from being turned in the reverse direction by the dog d -and notch cl if the latter has passed the dog or in any event is prevented by the dog d from turning backward far enough to open the drawer su fficiently to receive a ballot, it follows that the counting mechanism can be operated only by the movement of the shaft that causes a ballot to be deposited.

An alarm bell t is provided, the hammer t of which is operated by a projection from one of the disks b in the same partof the movement of the shaft [9 that causes the counting mechanism to be advanced and since as before pointed out, this movement of the shaft can take place only when the ballot is present, it follows that the alarm is sounded only when a ballot is deposited and the counting mechanism advanced. The movement is transmitted from the unit wheel actuated by the disk It on the shaft 1) as has been described, to the remaining number wheels or drums representing the tens and hundreds, by actuating mechanism similar to thatjustdescribed as actuating the unit number drum from the shaft 1). The shaft i of the first number or unit drum is provided with a disk 7; having at one portion of its periphery cam wings 7& similar in their construction and mode of operation to the cam wings 71 last described. The periphery of the disk It engages a tentoothed disk m on a horizontal shaft m and in the movement of the numberdrum i that brings the zero figure into position for observation, while removing the figure 9 from that position, the wings act to rotate the disk m the space between two of its consecutive teeth, or in other words one-tenth of a r0tation. The shaft m of the said disk m is provided with a gear m meshing with a gear m of equal size on the second drum or which represents the tens in the total number, and is thus advanced one figure in the last movement of the first number wheel i that is, the movement that completes the rotation from the starting point or zero position. The said shaft m is also provided with a cam disk at having cam wings n that co-operate with a ten-toothed wheel a, see Fig. 1, that carries the number drum n representing the hundreds place in the total count, and thus in the last tenth of the rotation of the shaft m by which the second number drum m removes the 9 and displays the zero figure on its periphery, the third number drum n is advanced one figure.

The cam wings on the cam disks by which as each more frequently moving shaft or drum completes its last movement of one-tenth of a rotation, are so arranged that one cam wing does not pass out from the notch or space be tween the teeth engaged by it until the other cam wing has entered its notch or space,and consequently the toothed wheels actuated by the cam disks are at all times positively controlled by said cam disks which lock the said wheels against rotation except at times when the cam wings positively rotate them; and the counting mechanism is therefore positive and certain in operation.

In order to provide for setting back the number wheels to the zero position at any time, the said number wheels have their bearings in a supplemental frame 19 pivotally connected at p see Fig. 1, with the main frame which carries the horizontal shaft mt The free end of the supplemental framep is pro vided with a latch 19 see Fig. 4, which co-operates with a fastening pin p on the main or stationary frame and which permits a slight movement of the supplemental frame 19 on its pivot 19 away from the shaft m as indicated in dotted lines Fig.1. Such movement of the frame p away from the shaft m disengages the gears 1;, i and thus permits the number drum i to be turned freely although the gear i remains locked by the disk h. The said movement of the supplemental frame also disengages the disk is from the toothed wheel on so that the shaft m may be turned freely and thus through the gears m m, the second number wheel may be turned to the zero posi tion, and likewise the movement of the supplemental frame p is sufficient to disengage the wheel n of the third number wheel from its disk 01 so that the said third drum may be turned freely in either direction to the zero position. When the three number wheels have thus been properly set the movement of the supplemental frame p back to its original position will engage the wheel a with the disk n and the disk is with the wheel 0% and will also re-engage the gears 2', 11 so that the parts are in position to count the number of rotations of the main shaft 1).

In order to guard against possibility of using the apparatus before the counting mechanism has been thrown into working position, the cover A of the operating mechanism of the box is provided with a recess A see Fig. 1, that properly fits over the supplemental frame 19 only when the latter is locked in working position as shown in Fig. 4. When the supplemental frame is moved out as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, so as to disengage the wheels and disks of the counting mechanism,

it obstructs the closing of the cover A and drawer so that it may receive a ballot.

consequently the said cover can be closed and locked only after the counting mechanism is set in operative condition.

The operation of the apparatus may be briefly summarized as follows:-Assuming that the apparatus is left in the condition existing at the end of the previous balloting, the cover A is unlocked and opened, the counting mechanism is disengaged by throwing the supplemental frame p forward, the

number wheels are set to zero, the supplemental frame is moved back to re-engage the counting mechanism, and the cover A is closed and locked so that-there can be no access to the working mechanism or counting mechanism during the subsequent ballotin The cover, A see Fig. 3, may be turned up and locked to the cover A if the box is to be transported to any point, and when ready for balloting to begin the cover A is unlocked and turned down at the front of the box as shown in Fig. 3. The shaft bis then turned by the handle far enough to advance the The ballot being deposited therein, the shaft 1) is turned in the direction of the arrow Fig. 3

(reverse movement being arrested by the dog (l -and notch (1 and the drawer containing the ballot is thereby d rawn into the box, and just before arriving at the position shown in Fig. 3, the feelers or ballot-detectors engage with the surface of the ballot lying over the recesses a on the yielding ballot support or drawer bottom, thus depressing the latter as shown in Fig. 2 so that it passes the stop 0 and the further movement of the shaft b causes the drawer to wholly enter the box and the ballot detectors to feed the ballot off over the rear of the ballot support ordrawer bottom into the main receptacle canceling the same, and also through the disk It advances the counting mechanism one figure, and also causes the alarm to besounded. The further movement of the shaftl) in the same direction advances the drawer so that it is ready to receive the next ballot. The dog (1 and notch 01 (or notch d after that has passed the pawl) prevents the shaft from being turned in the wrong direction to advance the drawer for the next ballot, and thus prevents the counting mechanism from being set backward. If no ballot is present, the stopc prevents the counting mechanism from being operated and the shaft may be turned back or forth as far as permitted by the stop 0 on the one hand, and the notch d and the dog (1 on the other hand, when no ballot is present, without affecting the counting mechanism.

I claim- 1. The combination of the counting mechanism, and ballot carrier and yieldingly movable ballot support therein, and the actuator for the said carrier and counting mechanism, and a stop for said carrier, and a ballot feeler or detector whereby the said ballot support is prevented from being engaged and arrested by its stop when the ballot is present thereon, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the counting mechanism, and the ballot carrier and yieldingly movable ballot support therein, with the actuating shaft for said ballot carrier and counting mechanism; a stop for said ballot carrier; and a ballot feeler or detector cooperating with the ballot support as set forth; and a stop to arrest rotation of the actuating shaft in one direction, substantially as described.

3. In a counting mechanism the combination of a numbered drum and a toothed wheel connected to rotate therewith, with an actuating disk the plane of rotation of which intersects that of said toothed Wheel and the periphery of which is of uniform diameter and engages with said toothed wheel in the notches or spaces between the teeth thereof, said disk having at a portion of its periphery cam wings inclined to its plane of rotation to rotate said toothed wheel and numbered drum, one of said cam wings entering a corresponding notch in the toothed wheel before the other leaves the same in the. rotation of the Wheel, substantially as and for the purpose described.

l. The counting mechanism comprising a series of numbered drums and toothed wheels connected to rotate therewith; a cam-disk connected to rotate in unison with each of said numbered drums, in a plane intersecting that of the toothed Wheel moving in unison with the next drum of the series, said disk having cam portions inclined to its plane of rotation cooperating with the corresponding toothed Wheel to rotate the latter a fraction of a turn during a portion of each complete rotation of the cam disk the periphery of which remains in engagement with said toothed wheel during the entire rotary movement of the former, substantially as described.

5. The counting mechanism comprising a series of numbered drums having their bearings in a movable supplementary frame, and a shaft having its hearings in a relatively stationary frame transmitting movement from one to the next of the said series of numbered drums, the movement of the said supplementary frame disconnecting the said numbered drums from said transmitting shaft and permitting them to be turned independently of one another, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In aballot box,.a counting mechanism comprising a series of numbered drums having their bearings in a movable supplementary frame and a shaft having its bearings in a relatively stationary frame transmitting movement from one to the next of the said series of numbered drums, the movement of the said supplementary frame disconnecting the said numbered drums and permitting them to be turned independently of one another, combined with a cover forsaid counting mechanism cooperating with said movable supplernentalframe as setforth, whereby said cover can be closed only when said supplemental frame is in normal position with the transmitting gearing of the counting mechanism in engagement, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUCIAN M. FOSTER.

WVitnesses:

JAs. J. MALoNEY, M. E. HILL. 

